we have been refused solar panels by origin

DeBe · Guru

we have been refused solar panels by origin

magraret · Senior Member

we applyed to origin for solar panels

when we moved into our new home as my husband is on part pension we changed the powerbill into his name for the rebate

i am not on a pension

origin has stated that we are a credit risk

we advised that we would like to pay cash

we have pd the deposit

they have judged us on this pension thing with my husband what about me

like i said i am not on any pension and we have income coming in

so what is the problom with this

i have sent emails and rung but no one gets back to us

any one else had a problom and what did they do about it

magraret · Senior Member

hi we live in brisbane who did you get

DeBe · Guru

I live on Yorkepeninsular in SA. It was done through a hardware store (Kennetts of Kadina), they handled all the paper work & sent a bill after instilation. Solar Winds Australia was the suplier of the hardware & a contractor installed it. ETSA installed the export/import meter. My energy suplier is Simply Energy who pay me 25c/Kw for exported power & max current import is 30c/Kw. It is only a 1.5Kw system, so no credit in the winter but mutch reduced bill. In the summer last bill $13 credit so quite happy with the system. Energy suppliers arent always the best to get a solar system from. (My system cost $1799. & instaled in april this year)

milo · Guru

i wouldn't mind solar panels on my roof, my dad has that and hasn't paid much of a bill for ages
but i cant afford the initial cost on a pension..
dont know how id go about it , good luck tho with the original poster

PeterInSa · Guru

Margaret,
TrueValue Sola are big in SA and also Vic, I think they support a Vic AFL team. If they are in your area I would try them.

Peter.
No association etc.

Cupie · Guru

hako wrote:
We have a 3KW system with Ergon (installed by Energy Matters) in Toowoomba and paid cash 10 months ago - my wife receives a pension whilst I am on superannuation - our local paper today has quite a few adverts for people who wish to go solar and get the 44c feed-in tariif providing their system installed by June 2013. (Highlighted by Cupie)
If you opt to pay cash it will make no difference so I cannot understand why you are having problems. They would not have assessed your credit rating if you told them you were paying cash.
Origin are a major power supply company....not a dodgy fly by night supplier AFAIK.
Maybe you should visit Origin head office with a copy of your contract and see a real person as I'm sure there has been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line.
If not happy with their response go and see your local state member.
Good Luck.

We have a 1.6 KVA system installed thru Origin in Brisbane mid 2011. At the time of contracting we were both part self funded retirees at age pension age.

We paid the installation charge in interest free agreed installments starting 3 months after the installation was completed. I suppose that this plan was designed so that the power savings were equal to the installments.

I thought that the 44c feed in tarrif (Qld Govt. Solar Bonus Scheme) was abolished for new connections, by the current LNP Govt shortly after their election. I would love to increase my system (extra pannels & larger Inverter) to just under the 5 KVA if I could still get the 44c deal.

I found Origin great to deal with as was Energex our Network supplier

-- Edited by Cupie on Saturday 29th of December 2012 10:32:58 PM

Onedodger · Guru

I think it is time you consulted the energy Ombudsman.

This is plain discrimination.

aussietraveller · Guru

I agree with onedodger this certainly appears to be discrimination and needs to be sorted out I would be turning up at their office and not leaving until I had satisfaction bearing in mind that they happily took your deposit, good luck

PeterInSa · Guru

Do not know if its discrimination, or not, could be the organisation has been burnt before,

Try renting a vehicle from some car rental agencies without a credit card, you could have problems. To me some organisations treat the Credit card as showing you are an upright citizen.

It you'st to be "Cash is King" but to me, this only applies now at the "Fish and Chip shop".

I would not deal with that Organisation, or bother to follow them up, find a another company to deal with, after you have the deposit back.

Are there any legal issues with O...., name and shame.

Peter

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Theres plenty of companies that will install solar panels, the trick is to get your deposit back from these idiots first. Good luck Margaret!

hako · Guru

We have a 3KW system with Ergon (installed by Energy Matters) in Toowoomba and paid cash 10 months ago - my wife receives a pension whilst I am on superannuation - our local paper today has quite a few adverts for people who wish to go solar and get the 44c feed-in tariif providing their system installed by June 2013.
If you opt to pay cash it will make no difference so I cannot understand why you are having problems. They would not have assessed your credit rating if you told them you were paying cash.
Origin are a major power supply company....not a dodgy fly by night supplier AFAIK.
Maybe you should visit Origin head office with a copy of your contract and see a real person as I'm sure there has been a misunderstanding somewhere along the line.
If not happy with their response go and see your local state member.
Good Luck.

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Onedodger wrote:
I think it is time you consulted the energy Ombudsman.
This is plain discrimination.

If you applied as a pensioner or part pensioner, of course they will assess your credit risk.

Perhaps the advantage of the pensioner rebate was not an advantage after all.

There's no discrimination.

beiffe · Guru

Perhaps ring them up and thank them and advise that you are now looking at leaving the grid and installing a solar and battery setup to run your home.
This will make them gulp and give you what you want.
The rebate system in some ways was to stop people thinking of the stand alone system as it can be done and it is not as expensive as some think.
Don't want to get into the details just suggesting that a little whisper that you are looking may make them reconsider.

Regards
Brian

Sheba · Guru

Been trying to convince people for over 20 years that Stand-alone is the way to go. Some don't even believe you can do it that way, but heaps of old hippies could tell them different.

You do not have to be connected to the grid !!!

Figures can [and have been in the past,] be greatly exaggerated to put people off going that way.

Cheers,

Sheba.

sandsmere · Guru

Try other suppliers . If your credit rating is OK , you'll find others that will do the job for you .